It's Better Than Drinking Alone
by Starbuck223
Summary: Toby, CJ, and Josh hit the bar after work, and hit on a few things closer to their hearts.


It's Better Than Drinking Alone

Disclaimer: I don't usually write angst but…oh. Sorry. This is where I plead with the real owners of the WW not to sue me…not apologize for writing non-fluff. Lol. They're not mine.

A/N: Now, back to that angst…yeah, I don't know. I think it's Jen rubbing off on me, but we knew that was bound to happen. I got her back into fluff, she got me into angst. I helped her obsession with X Files, she started mine with West Wing. I figure we're even. She was even cool enough to beta this (and the timeline nitpicking was pertinent!) Yeah, about the time line…I figure this is season two, because everyone was pretty much single at that point, so anything that may seem to fit with season four or wherever…disregard! And if you have any further problems, pretend it's AU so you feel better. Haha. Seriously though, enjoy. I probably won't have anything new for awhile. L Working all the time. Oh, and this is my 20th fanfic!

"Grasshopper," CJ ordered, without looking up at the waitress.

"I'll have a scotch," Toby put in.

"And a beer."

"Moron juice," Toby laughed.

"Josh, do you really want to do that?" CJ cautioned.

"Why wouldn't I?" Josh asked her, defensively. "Why is it that every time I want a drink, which I have EVERY right to after a hard day at the office, someone feels the need to question me?"

"Because every time you have a drink, you wind up sick as a dog," Toby replied, laughing.

"You really do have a 'delicate system' as Donna put it," CJ added.

Josh snorted. "What Donna says…I could drink you both under the table."

"No, Josh, you can't. After two you'd be under the table, literally. I can easily out-drink you," CJ rubbed it in, taking her drink from the waitress who'd reappeared.

"Josh, how are you ever gonna get a woman if you can't out-drink CJ?" Toby ragged on them both.

"Hey!" CJ shouted immediately. "I can drink you under the table too, Toby."

"Doubt it," he interjected.

"I can; I'm not a exactly a lightweight here."

"Excuse me, but if anyone should be offended here, it's me. I can get women," Josh piped.

"Can, but the question is, when's the last time you actually did?"

"Why am I the one under assault tonight?" Josh asked, glaring at his colleagues. "When's the last time you got a woman, Toby? Or CJ for that matter…"

CJ smirked. "Joshua, I can get women whenever I want." She smirked as Toby dissolved into laughter. "I choose not to, however, in lieu of men."

"You know that I meant men, you haven't had one of those in awhile," Josh grumbled, not joining in their amusement. "You know that neither of you have had a date in as long as me, so stop picking on me."

"That may be true, but aren't you being a little touchy tonight?" CJ queried.

"Well you two ganged up on me, and we're all in the same boat," Josh began, but with looks from Toby and CJ that were already asking 'what's the real reason?' he sighed and continued. "Donna's not in it; our boat, I mean. She's out on a date tonight."

Toby sat back in his chair, draining his scotch. "Is that why you're drinking?"

"I am drinking because I'm a man out with my friends, and it's my right to drink," he recounted from earlier. "I've been pissy the last two days because Donna has a date."

Toby and CJ smiled. "The truth comes out."

Josh glared at him. "And by comes out, you mean I told you."

"Well yeah," Toby replied. "But it's forever coming out that you have a thing for Donna."

"What? I don't have a 'thing' for Donna," Josh snapped.

CJ smirked. "Come on, Josh, everyone can see that you have feelings for her."

"Well I don't…I mean, I have some feelings, just not…"

CJ and Toby were enjoying his stumbling, knowing that they could see through him more clearly than if he were transparent.

"So what?" He shouted. "I don't like it when she goes out with those goddamn gomers."

"Josh, what exactly is a gomer?"

"One of the many idiots that Donna dates."

"Why do you care who she dates if you don't have feelings for her?" Toby asked, the words cutting through Josh immediately.

"She's my assistant," Josh stammered, both as an answer and an excuse.

"Doesn't mean anything," CJ said, running her finger around the rim of her glass. Suddenly, thoughts of Danny had crept into her mind. "Just because circumstance says you shouldn't fall for someone, doesn't mean that you won't do it anyway."

Josh raised an eyebrow. "You still in love with Danny?" It had been awhile since they'd seen him around the White House.

CJ was shocked that he managed to hit the nail so squarely on the head. She countered him, flustered. "I'm not in love with him. I was never in love with him…but he was in love with me."

"You have feelings for him, CJ." Toby stated, point blank.

Her face fell, realizing that she couldn't argue. "Well….so what if I do? Is that really so terrible?"

Toby shrugged. "Who am I to say? It's better than chasing your ex-wife, who doesn't even love you anymore."

CJ and Josh blinked in surprise.

"Toby…she still…I mean, she's not with you, but Andy still loves you."

"Sure she does, Josh. The problem is that she isn't with me," Toby relayed sadly, puffing on his cigar. "Would the knowledge that Donna loves you help your situation? It doesn't help CJ; just makes it worse."

CJ looked up at the mention, then back down to her glass. "I don't think it make it's worse. It just makes it hard."

"Well if you ask me, you're both idiots."

"Gee, thanks, Toby." Josh replied, a smile playing over his lips. "Dare I set both of us up by asking why?"

"Besides the obvious," Toby teased, taking the shot. "You're idiots because there's nothing actually keeping you from what you want."

"Sure there is," CJ snapped, angrily. She'd been dwelling on Danny half the night, and for what felt like half of her life, and she was tired of thinking. She wanted to do something, but she couldn't. How dare Toby tell her that nothing stood in her way. "I'm the Press Secretary, he's a reporter. I'd say that there's a little problem with that."

"No," Toby answered quickly. "Do you want to be with Danny?"

CJ swallowed. "I don't know…" She was lying. She knew that if there were any possible way… If only he had taken that editors job. It had run through her mind a thousand times since that night in the Oval.

"CJ, of course you know. We all know, because you can see it every time you two are around each other. Danny cares about you, and you care about him, even if you're constantly trying to hide it."

"He has a point," Josh told her after sitting quietly for so long. "Even I could see that chemistry happening. That's why I told him about your goldfish thing…though he kinda got it wrong, it was still sweet."

"Josh?" Toby said, turning his attention away from CJ. "Don't' even get me started on you. Donna is…amazing. How any woman can stand you seven days a week, I'll never know."

"Your staff puts up with you," Josh pointed out.

"True, but they usually don't enjoy it. Donna always enjoys you, even when you're being a horses ass and driving her crazy."

"Well…" Josh began, but Toby cut him off.

"Donna came to you when she was like twenty. She could have left and gone on to better things, God knows she has the talent, but she stayed with you. I swear, Josh, that woman adores you, thought I have no idea why."

"He's right, Josh," CJ chimed, recovering from her own assault and ready to join in the next. "I told Donna that she could do better."

"Thanks," Josh glared at her.

She laughed. "I meant as far as jobs go, mi amor, although I'm sure she could do better on the dating scene as well."

"She hasn't been lately," he grumbled.

"The point is, she's there because she loves you, and you get jealous when she dates other guys because you love her." Toby turned to CJ. "And Danny loves you, and you love him, even if you won't own up to it, and you're all idiots!" He was yelling now. "You make up these reasons not to act when you should be acting. You need to chase the people you love, pursue them, treasure them. Don't ever give up on them, because you're not young anymore, and you should be with the people who make you happy! I blew it with Andy. I can't go back and fix that," Toby looked at the gold band on his left ring finger that he'd never been able to remove. "But you two…should go after the ones you care about. You haven't been rejected yet, so go for it."

CJ and Josh studied their friend and realized just how much he'd gone through in the past several years. Both were thinking about their 'significant others,' that didn't exist in any real sense of the word, but did in so much more. Each was considering the prospect of losing them, as Toby had lost Andy.

"I'm sorry…" Toby began, quietly. "I'm sorry. I've just been thinking about her, and know that you two are here, moping about two people who you could say three words to and have right now…Just don't waste your chances, you know?"

"We know, Toby," Josh replied softly.

"I miss my wife, Josh." Toby finished another scotch, placing the glass on the table. "I just miss her…"

New rounds of drinks arrived, and they sat in silence, as Billy Joel's Piano Man played on the jukebox, and the noise of the bar went on around them. CJ raised her glass, speaking softly along with the words of the song. "We're sharing a drink they call loneliness," she proposed, as a toast.

Meeting CJ and Josh's glasses, Toby finished the toast. "It's better than drinking alone."

The three finished their drinks in silence, then headed back to the jobs that ruled every aspect of their lives.

The End

What do you think? Does this angst make me look fat? I'm being weird because it's past my bedtime…and yes, I'm aware that it isn't even eleven pm yet. Work has me so whipped. Reviews make me happy though!


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